After a sputtering defeat in Week 17 of the regular season, there were valid questions about what sort of shape the New England Patriots would be in as they began their title defense in the postseason.

But they answered resoundingly and convincingly with a 27-20 win over the league’s hottest team, the Kansas City Chiefs, who seemed only to be picking up steam.

New England advances to its fifth consecutive conference championship game, to face the winner between Sunday’s matchup between Denver and Pittsburgh.

The Patriots were certainly buoyed by the return of receiver Julian Edelman, who had been out since Week 10 with a foot injury and caught 10 passes for 100 yards. Edelman’s arrival opened things up for New England’s spread attack. Brady completed 10 consecutive passes at one point.

Brady finished with 302 yards, completing 28 of 42 passes, including two touchdowns, both to Rob Gronkowski. New England attempted 14 rushes on the day, although six of them were by Brady, who rushed in a touchdown of his own.

Kansas City actually racked up more total yards (378 to 340) and nearly twice as much time of possession as the Patriots, without as much to show for it. New England’s bend-but-don’t-break defense worked effectively, and Alex Smith, who attempted 50 passes, struggled to find a steady rhythm.

The Chiefs, who had won 11 games in a row, scored two touchdowns in the second half but their defense, which had been among the best in the league this season, could not make enough stops.

Things just seemed to go in New England’s way. With a minute remaining, Brady’s pass ricocheted off of Gronkowski’s shoulder pads — offering up a tantalizing opportunity for a crucial interception that could have made things very interesting down the stretch. Instead, the ball settled in the hands of — you guessed it — Edelman, who converted the first down and allowed the Patriots to set up in the victory formation.

Given some breathing room by the team’s struggling offense, the Denver defense tightened up and forced Pittsburgh to go for it on fourth down from their own 43-yard line. A big group sack led by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware ended up giving Denver the ball back.

Denver extended their lead to 10 points with a field goal, and with Pittsburgh facing a two-score deficit and less than a minute remaining, they were only able to manage three points. They ended up losing 23-16 after having led the game from the end of the first quarter all the way until three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

All season, the Broncos were carried by the team’s standout defense, which led them to the No. 1 seed in the A.F.C. They struggled offensively, with Peyton Manning having thrown 17 interceptions in the team’s first 10 games and Brock Osweiler failing to be much better when leading the offense for the remainder of the regular season.

Denver’s defense ended up leading the N.F.L. in terms of fewest yards allowed a game, giving up an average of just 283.1 a game. They had the No. 1 passing defense and the No. 3 rushing defense.

Their defensive abilities were all on display on Pittsburgh’s penultimate drive as they performed well in coverage before the sack essentially sealed the Broncos victory.

Denver will now host the New England Patriots in the A.F.C. championship for a spot in Super Bowl 50. They will likely need quite a bit more offense if they want to compete with Tom Brady and New England’s formidable offense.

Looking to complete an improbable fourth-quarter comeback in the divisional round for the second consecutive year, the Seahawks got within a touchdown of tying the score when Steven Hauschka’s 36-yard field goal sailed through the uprights. But after a failed onside kick, the Panthers kneeled on the ball to preserve a 31-24 victory and advance to the N.F.C. championship.

In last season’s divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers, the Seahawks trailed, 19-7, when Russell Wilson ran in a touchdown with 2 minutes 9 seconds remaining in the game. The Seahawks ended up winning the game, 28-22, in overtime on a Wilson touchdown pass to Jermaine Kearse.

But this year, 24 unanswered points in the second half were not enough to overcome a 31-point deficit and Seattle, the two-time defending conference champions, will go home with nothing to show for their remarkable second half.

Carolina, the top seed in their conference after a 15-1 season, will host the Arizona Cardinals in next week’s N.F.C. championship.

—
Benjamin Hoffman

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The Cardinals rushed to celebrate with Larry Fitzgerald, center, after he scored the winning touchdown in overtime.Credit
Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

It ended on an inside flip from Carson Palmer to Larry Fitzgerald, a 36-year-old quarterback to his 32-year-old receiver, on the first drive in overtime, giving Arizona the win before Aaron Rodgers could get the ball back for Green Bay.

This was a good thing for the Cardinals. Rodgers had just pulled off one of the most miraculous drives in postseason history to tie the game on a 41-yard desperation heave as time expired in regulation.

Even the coin flip in overtime was dramatic. The referee called to re-toss it after the coin actually did not flip — a bizarre and humorous moment that underscored just how unusual this game was.

In the fourth quarter and overtime, Fitzgerald took over, helping his struggling quarterback, who threw two interceptions and very nearly a third that was dropped by Sam Shields in the end zone late in the game.

On the first play of overtime, Palmer scrambled and threw back across the field for Fitzgerald, who went off to the races, breaking tackles and slipping through defenders all the way to the 5-yard line after a 75-yard play.

For about 58 minutes, this game was dominated by defense. But both defenses were shredded by the extraordinary plays of Fitzgerald and Rodgers, who both seemed ready to will their teams into the N.F.C. title game.

Rodgers’s fourth-quarter drive was one to remember for the grandkids. Faced with fourth-and-20 from his own goal line, and with no timeouts, Rodgers somehow converted improbable play after improbable play. He outdid himself, though, with the game-tying pass, from the 41-yard line, after scrambling to his left and hardly even looking where he threw the ball.

It echoed the play he made earlier in the season, in Detroit, on a 68-yard Hail Mary as time expired.

The difference was that Green Bay won that game. In this one, Rodgers’s efforts ultimately were made in vain.

—
Zach Schonbrun

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The Patriots advanced to the A.F.C. Championship after beating the Chiefs, 27-20, on Saturday.Credit
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After a sputtering defeat in Week 17 of the regular season, there were valid questions about what sort of shape the New England Patriots would be in as they began their title defense in the postseason.

But they answered resoundingly and convincingly with a 27-20 win over the league’s hottest team, the Kansas City Chiefs, who seemed only to be picking up steam.

New England advances to its fifth consecutive conference championship game, to face the winner between Sunday’s matchup between Denver and Pittsburgh.

The Patriots were certainly buoyed by the return of receiver Julian Edelman, who had been out since Week 10 with a foot injury and caught 10 passes for 100 yards. Edelman’s arrival opened things up for New England’s spread attack. Brady completed 10 consecutive passes at one point.

Brady finished with 302 yards, completing 28 of 42 passes, including two touchdowns, both to Rob Gronkowski. New England attempted 14 rushes on the day, although six of them were by Brady, who rushed in a touchdown of his own.

Kansas City actually racked up more total yards (378 to 340) and nearly twice as much time of possession as the Patriots, without as much to show for it. New England’s bend-but-don’t-break defense worked effectively, and Alex Smith, who attempted 50 passes, struggled to find a steady rhythm.

The Chiefs, who had won 11 games in a row, scored two touchdowns in the second half but their defense, which had been among the best in the league this season, could not make enough stops.

Things just seemed to go in New England’s way. With a minute remaining, Brady’s pass ricocheted off of Gronkowski’s shoulder pads — offering up a tantalizing opportunity for a crucial interception that could have made things very interesting down the stretch. Instead, the ball settled in the hands of — you guessed it — Edelman, who converted the first down and allowed the Patriots to set up in the victory formation.

—
Zach Schonbrun

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Broncos-Steelers Highlights

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The Broncos’ DeMarcus Ware recovered a fumble by Steelers running back Fitzgerald Toussaint in the fourth quarter.Credit
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Pittsburgh dodged one bullet when Markus Wheaton failed to catch a punted ball that was recovered in the end zone for a touchback. But a fumble by Fitzgerald Toussaint later in the drive gave Denver the ball back and the Broncos, emboldened by the turnover, marched down the field to score, taking a 20-13 lead with three minutes remaining in the game.

On the 13-play, 65-yard drive, the Broncos confidently moved the ball down the field. The biggest play of the drive was a 31-yard reception by Bennie Fowler, but it was C.J. Anderson who punched the ball in from less than a yard away for Denver’s first postseason touchdown in 23 possessions, a streak that went all the way back to last year’s divisional round. The Broncos then made it a 7-point game with a 2-point conversion on a pass to Demaryius Thomas.

It looked like the Steelers had truly gotten away with something on Wheaton’s muffed punt return, as the Broncos were protesting that the call should have been a safety, which would have given them a one-point lead. But the officials clarified that the play was still considered a kick, and not a fumble, so the play was correctly called a touchback.

Pittsburgh’s offense appeared to be cruising on what ended up being a 40-yard drive following Wheaton’s flub, but disaster struck when Toussaint got the ball knocked out of his hands for Pittsburgh’s first turnover of the game. Playing in place of Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams, Toussaint has been mostly impressive, but his fumble may have cost Pittsburgh the game.

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Benjamin Hoffman

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Aqib Talib (21) and Martavis Bryant battled for a long pass in the end zone during the second half.Credit
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Denver looked foolish for accepting a penalty that resulted in Pittsburgh having a 1st-and-25 instead of a 2nd-and-17, but the extra play did not matter as the Denver defense shut down a delayed handoff to Jordan Todman, knocking the small running back for a 5-yard loss. The play helped stifle the Pittsburgh offense, which resulted in Jordan Berry coming out to punt.

That Pittsburgh elected to punt rather than attempt a 52-yard field goal says a great deal about how much the wind is affecting both sides on special teams.

Denver, trailing by just one point, will now take over on their own 20 with quite a bit of a time left in the fourth quarter. Peyton Manning will be looking to avoid having a playoff game in which he failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since the divisional round in 2006, which was the season he led Indianapolis to a Super Bowl win.

For the fourth time, Denver started a drive from outside their own 40-yard line. And despite the short field they once again settled for a field goal, and they trail Pittsburgh 13-12 with just under three minutes left in the third quarter.

Pittsburgh’s defense has given up plenty of yardage all season — relying on their ability to force sacks and turnovers to make up for their failings — and they once again showed the benefits of a bend-don’t-break strategy as a huge sack midway through the drive pushed Peyton Manning back 7 yards, taking away a great deal of Denver’s momentum on the drive.

Once the game’s greatest quarterback in terms of touchdown production, Manning is clearly a shadow of himself. On his final throw of the drive, Manning’s pass sailed helplessly out of bounds, well off the mark of his receiver who had some space on the sideline.

Denver ended up gaining 30 yards on the drive, but Brian McManus proved to be their only reliable offensive weapon, nailing a 41-yard field goal, his fourth of the game.

A short pass to Martavis Bryant resulted in a 52-yard play after Bryant outran much of the Denver defense. While Pittsburgh was unable to do much more on the drive, they got close enough for Chris Boswell to hit his second field goal of the game, extending the Steelers’ lead to 13-9.

Bryant, who assured everyone all week that he could take care of things in Antonio Brown’s absence, has touched the ball just 6 times thus far, but he has accounted for 134 yards of offense: 94 yards receiving and 40 yards rushing.

On the drive, Bryant also got his hands on the ball in the end zone but great coverage by the Denver secondary knocked the ball away forcing the field goal.

Bryant was clearly second-fiddle in the Pittsburgh receiving corps this season, but he had 50 receptions for 765 yards and 6 touchdowns despite missing the beginning of the season following a suspension for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.

A pass interference call gave the Denver Broncos a first down, but when Demaryius Thomas left the field with an injury on the play it looked like it may have been a Pyrrhic victory.

There was no hard contact on the 3rd-and-7 play in which William Gay got flagged for interfering on an incomplete pass. But Thomas sat out the three remaining plays of the drive before Denver punted the ball away.

Denver’s most important wide receiver, Thomas had 105 receptions for 1,304 yards this season. No official update has been given on his status, but he remained on the sideline.

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Benjamin Hoffman

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Denver’s Aqib Talib broke up a fourth-down pass intended for Markus Wheaton of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first quarter.Credit
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Denver was given terrific field position repeatedly in the first half, but other than three field goals they failed to take advantage and went into halftime trailing the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-9.

There have been problems on both sides of the ball for the Broncos as Peyton Manning, starting for the first time since Week 10, has not been able to get much going on offense while the team’s dominant defense has given up a number of big plays despite the Pittsburgh offense having been limited greatly by the absence of Antonio Brown and DeAngelo Williams.

If there is a reason for optimism in Denver, it is that several of Manning’s throws have seemingly just missed their targets, and if he able to make some adjustments in the second half, they could open things up against a Pittsburgh defense that tends to give up yardage in huge chunks.

For the Steelers, a handful of big plays provided the team with what they needed to score 10 points, but finding some more consistency would be beneficial going forward.

The teams are playing for a chance to face the New England Patriots in the A.F.C. championship. If Denver wins, they will host the Patriots and if Pittsburgh wins they will have to travel to New England.

Coach Gary Kubiak showed confidence in his offense by going for it on 4th-and-3 from Pittsburgh’s 37-yard line, and they nearly converted when Manning found Emmanuel Sanders in the open field, but a big hit by Mike Mitchell sent the ball sailing to the ground, turning it over on downs.

While Manning has appeared healthy thus far, throwing the ball with an authority that has not been seen over the last few seasons, he hasn’t been able to keep pace with Ben Roethlisberger, with both quarterbacks having completed 7 passes but Roethlisberger having 124 yards to Manning’s 72.

Two of the most reliable quarterbacks in N.F.L. history, Manning and Roethlisberger have combined for three Super Bowl wins, but both are playing through significant injuries that are forcing them to make severe adjustments to their typical game plans. The difference so far appears to be the ability of the Pittsburgh receivers to make something happen after the catch.

Another big play by the Pittsburgh offense helped set up a field goal that extended the Steelers’ lead to 10-6.

On this drive, the big gain came from Darrius Heyward-Bey, who had an impressive 58-yard catch-and-run in which he broke one tackle and carried another defender a few yards before being brought down. The seventh year receiver had just 21 catches this season, but his speed can play a factor when he gets the ball.

The offense then stalled out on the drive, with a sack by Antonio Smith pushing them back seven yards, but Chris Boswell easily nailed a 43-yard field goal despite the heavy wind. Pittsburgh had some issues with its kicking game earlier in the season, but Boswell has been good in the playoffs, hitting four field goals in last week’s win.

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Benjamin Hoffman

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Fitzgerald Toussaint reached for the goal line in the first half. Toussaint scored later on the drive.Credit
David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Looking to avoid big plays, Denver’s defense started to play off of Pittsburgh’s receivers. That came back to haunt them as Martavis Bryant burned them for a 23-yard reception and then had a gorgeous 40-yard run that helped set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Fitzgerald Toussaint. After the extra point, Pittsburgh had a 7-6 lead.

On his catch, Bryant was given plenty of space to work, with Denver’s defensive backs playing far further downfield, and after catching the ball, he was able to use his speed to stretch the gain. The Steelers went back to him on the next play, executing a reverse in which Bryant ran around the left side of the field and streaked down the sideline.

Bolstered by the big gains, Pittsburgh then gave the ball to Toussaint, who rumbled 16 yards to Denver’s 1-yard line before taking it in for his first career touchdown on the next play.

The Steelers had looked anemic on offense before the drive, but Bryant, their designated big-play receiver, came through to get them some momentum.

The wind is clearly playing a big factor in the game. When Pittsburgh’s Jordan Berry went to attempt his second punt of the game, the snapped ball sailed far to his right, and after he caught it and adjusted, he managed just a 27-yard punt that the wind carried out of bounds.

The short punt resulted in yet another short field for the Denver offense, and despite the Broncos not doing anything to move the ball down the field other than a 9-yard run by Ronnie Hillman, Brandon McManus came out and kicked a 41-yard field goal to make it 6-0.

With just under four minutes left in the first quarter, the teams have combined for just 89 yards of offense.

—
Benjamin Hoffman

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Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is off to a slow start against the Broncos.Credit
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Ben Roethlisberger is clearly missing Antonio Brown. The normally prolific Pittsburgh offense ended its first two drives with a punt and a failed fourth down conversion.

It looked like the Steelers might get something going when sloppy tackling by the Denver defense led to a fantastic 37-yard reception by Sammie Coates. On the play, Chris Harris Jr. tried to just shove Coates out of bounds after a modest gain, but he kept his footing and ended up streaking down the sideline before finally being shoved out by Darian Stewart.

A few plays later the Steelers found themselves with a 4th-and-1 from Denver’s 32-yard line. Roethlisberger aggressively threw to Markus Wheaton, one of the receivers trying to fill Brown’s shoes, but he was unable to haul the ball in, giving it back to Denver.

Brown, who is out following a hit in last week’s game that put him in the N.F.L.’s concussion protocol, is possibly the most reliable receiver in the N.F.L., catching 100 or more passes in each of the last three seasons.

After a quick three-and-out by Denver’s offense, Pittsburgh’s offense will take the field for the third time from their own 3-yard line. Martavis Bryant, Wheaton and Coates will need to step up soon for Pittsburgh to get on the board.

Working with a short field following a 42-yard punt return by Omar Bolden, Peyton Manning only generated 20 yards of offense on Denver’s opening offensive possession. But that proved enough as Brandon McManus kicked a 28-yard field goal to give Denver a 3-0 lead.

Manning, who is starting his first game since Week 10, completed 2 of 3 passes for 15 yards on the drive.

It is a chilly 43 degrees in Denver, but it is warm enough to negate the oft-cited statistic that Manning is 0-5 in career playoff games with a kickoff temperature below 40 degrees.

Playing through an injured shoulder, Ben Roethlisberger showed he is still capable of airing it out by overthrowing Markus Wheaton on a pass that traveled more than 50 yards in the air.

Roethlisberger said on his radio show last week that he had torn ligaments and a sprain in his throwing shoulder, but he aggressively threw deep on the first play of the game, likely to keep that possibility fresh in the minds of Denver’s defensive backs. Wheaton, who will be asked to play more this week with Antonio Brown out, was unable to catch up to the ball.

The drive did not end up accomplishing much, with the Steelers punting after three plays, but with their franchise quarterback apparently ready to go, this game should be far more competitive than it would have been otherwise.

Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib showed he has his life priorities in order when discussing the health of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back DeAngelo Williams, the most important members of the Steelers’ offense, each of whom was a question for this game because of injury.

“We want those guys to be there,” Talib told reporters. “If we didn’t want them to be there, that means I’d want A.B. to be messed up. That’s a good dude, a good family dude. We don’t want him to be messed up.”

(The Steelers announced Friday that Brown would indeed miss the game. He took a brutal hit by Vontaze Burfict in last week’s victory against the Bengals.)

From a football perspective, Talib may want to reconsider. Roethlisberger and Brown were not only one of the most effective passer-catcher combinations in N.F.L. history this season, but they were also the only pair to make a significant dent in Denver’s top-flight defense.

Not knowing what to expect from them makes this potentially the hardest game to predict this week. Roethlisberger said on his radio show that he was going to try to play but had torn ligaments and a sprain in his throwing shoulder. Williams is unlikely to be ready to go; his injured right foot was in a walking boot this week.

For the Broncos, Peyton Manning will start at quarterback for the first time since Week 10. If he struggles the way he did in the first nine games, the Broncos could be in trouble. Over that period, 5.14 percent of Manning’s passes were intercepted, the ninth worst mark by a quarterback with 300 or more attempts since 1998, his rookie season.

The Pittsburgh defense gives up yardage in huge chunks but is tied for sixth in the N.F.L. with 17 interceptions, and tied for fourth with 13 fumble recoveries.

If Manning’s problem was an injured foot that has been corrected, it feels as if Denver can win easily, especially if Roethlisberger is not ready. But if Roethlisberger plays, and Manning’s turnover problems resurface, the No. 1 seed in the conference will be sent home after one game.

PICK: STEELERS

—
Benjamin Hoffman

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Panthers-Seahawks Highlights

Seattle may want to adjust their zone coverage. On a 2nd-and-7 play that seemed to offer few options for Cam Newton, he ended up finding his favorite target, Greg Olsen, wide open for a first down catch after he had run around a bit in the backfield to buy time. Strictly adhering to their zone coverage, there was no one in the vicinity of Olsen when Newton released the ball.

It was hardly a game-changing play, and Carolina ended up punting on their fifth consecutive drive, but it helped Carolina run even more time off the clock.

Following Brad Nortman’s punt, Seattle now just has 2 minutes and 49 seconds to score 10 points.

Their hopes of a comeback are still a long way from fruition, but the Seattle Seahawks have scored 21 unanswered points and now trail the Carolina Panthers by just 10 points, 31-21.

After sputtering out on their previous drive, the Seattle offense drove the ball 73 yards on 9 plays, scoring on a leaping 3-yard catch by Jermaine Kearse, which was his second touchdown of the game.

On the scoring play, Russell Wilson scrambled around the backfield to give himself time before throwing high into the end zone with the ball just barely clearing the reaching hands of Josh Norman, Carolina’s top cornerback. Kearse caught it at the top of his jump and came down with both feet in the end zone.

The only negative of the drive is that it took more than three minutes off the clock. There are just over 6 minutes remaining in the game and Carolina will try to grind things out a bit to preserve what at one point seemed like an easy win.

With the Panthers and Seahawks combining to punt on each of the last three drives of the game it may seem as if neither team is being aggressive, but that is not entirely true. The three drives have included a fake punt that resulted in a first down run by a defensive back and a crippling cornerback blitz that helped end a drive.

Both coaches are so fired up that Pete Carroll of the Seahawks received a warning that if he continues to argue so aggressively with officials he will be penalized 15 yards. Ron Rivera has not been as vocal, but as his team tries to stave off a comeback attempt by Seattle he has not exactly gone into a prevent defense, sending linebackers and cornerbacks on blitzes and trying to maintain the pressure that worked so well earlier in the game.

The three drives did not result in any points, but they did include Jonathan Stewart becoming the first running back this season to break 100 yards against the Seattle defense. Early in the fourth quarter, Stewart has 17 carries for exactly 100 yards, leaving open the possibility that he could be knocked for a loss, thus preserving Seattle’s incredible streak.

The Seattle defense has finally started to get things going, and forced a punt on a third consecutive drive by the Carolina offense.

Momentum has swung heavily in the second half, with Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense thriving, but the defense has been equally formidable, holding Carolina to a combined 44 yards over their last three possessions.

On the latest drive, Cam Newton and the Carolina offense got the ball at their own 18-yard line. They ran off seven plays but gained just 32 yards, with Newton’s third-down pass sailing past Jerricho Cotchery to force Brad Nortman’s third punt of the game.

With Seattle getting the ball down 31-14, they will continue their pursuit of what would be the second-largest comeback in N.F.L. playoff history behind the Buffalo Bills’ 32-point comeback against the Houston Oilers in January 1993.

After just missing a long touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks’ offense regrouped and ended up scoring their second touchdown in as many drives when Wilson found Tyler Lockett for a 33-yard touchdown. The Seahawks now trail, 31-14, and the game is suddenly far closer than anyone could have expected at the end of the first half.

It looked like Seattle missed a great opportunity when Wilson found Baldwin wide open for what would almost assuredly have been a 63-yard score. But the quarterback, who could do no right in the first half, then reeled off an impressive 14-yard run that kept the drive going.

On the seventh play of the drive, Wilson threw the ball into the back right corner of the end zone and Lockett made an incredible sliding catch to score Seattle’s second touchdown in less than seven minutes of game clock in the half.

The ball now returns to Cam Newton and the Panthers’ offense, a group that was succeeding in nearly every facet before being forced to punt on each of their last two possessions.

It took less than two minutes of game clock in the second half for the Seattle Seahawks to score for the first time today. On the fourth play of the opening drive of the half, Russell Wilson found Jermaine Kearse for a 13-yard touchdown. Following an extra point, Seattle is now down, 31-7.

The drive was set up by a 50-yard kickoff return by Tyler Lockett that was made even better by a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty against Carolina. The return and penalty resulted in Seattle needing to drive the ball just 35 yards for the score.

BRUCE ARIANS, the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, showing an extreme amount of confidence in his team when he was asked by the Fox broadcast crew if he would rather face the Seahawks in Arizona or the Panthers in Carolina for the N.F.C. championship. Typically a dominant team at home, the Seahawks were beaten by the Cardinals in Seattle this season in a wild 39-32 game. The Cardinals then lost to the Seahawks 36-6 in the regular season finale which was in Arizona.

In a play that would have driven John Madden nuts during his long broadcasting career, the Seattle Seahawks threw a 4-yard pass on 4th-and-5 late in the second quarter. Roman Harper made them pay for the short pass by crushing Doug Baldwin into the turf, turning the ball over on downs, and helping the Carolina Panthers go into halftime leading 31-0. In many ways, the failed play seemed about right in a game in which nothing has gone right for Seattle.

Despite having driven the ball into field goal range at Carolina’s 18-yard line, the Seahawks, out of desperation, decided to try to extend the drive with a pass. Wilson found Baldwin without any drama, but Harper, a 33-year-old safety who signed with the team last season after eight years with New Orleans, immediately wrapped him up well short of the first down marker. Plays that are designed for fewer yards than necessary to convert the fourth down was long a pet peeve of Madden, who was a dominant coach for the Oakland Raiders before becoming the game’s signature broadcaster.

Carolina was not able to take advantage of the failed play, punting for the first time of the game after three short runs, but then Seattle’s offense sputtered again and Steven Hauschka missed a 55-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

The score accurately reflects how much Carolina has dominated the game. Cam Newton, the team’s candidate for Most Valuable Player, only needed to attempt 11 passes in the half, completing 8 for 102 yards and a touchdown. Jonathan Stewart, returning from a foot injury, ran the ball 11 times for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns as a part of a rushing attack that combined to run for 118 yards.

Seattle’s offense was among the best in the game down the stretch, but playing from so far behind while their defense struggles to do anything against the Panthers’ offense will provide quite a test in the second half.

The Panthers are still well short of the record number of points scored in a playoff shutout. The Chicago Bears hold that mark with a 73-0 win over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 N.F.L. Championship.

CHARLOTTE – The best running backs on the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks returned from injuries in time for their playoff match up on Sunday, and their first plays from scrimmage summed up how their teams fared in the first half.

After receiving the kickoff, the Panthers gave the ball to Jonathan Stewart, a bowling ball of a runner in his eighth season who sat out the last three games of the regular season with a foot injury. Stewart broke through Seattle’s interior defense and sprinted into the open field, shocking everyone by running 59 yards. A few plays later, he ran the ball four yards into the end zone to give the Panthers a 7-point lead less than three minutes into the game.

When Seattle went on offense, they opted to give the ball of Marshawn Lynch, who had not played since mid-November because of an abdominal injury. Lynch didn’t even make it out of the backfield and was thrown down for a three-yard loss. The next play, quarterback Russell Wilson, under pressure, threw an interception to Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who returned it for a touchdown.

Less than four minutes into the game, the Panthers were up by two touchdowns and the Seahawks looked like they were in for a long afternoon. Jet lag? Still thawing out from Minnesota?

A game expected to be among the closest of the divisional round is turning into an absolute embarrassment for the Seattle Seahawks. After a 9-play 54-yard drive, Cam Newton found his favorite target, Greg Olsen, for a 19-yard touchdown pass. The Carolina Panthers now lead the Seahawks 31-0 with more than six minutes left to play in the first half.

Apparently not content to just win the game, Carolina is clearly trying to build a significant lead against Seattle, as the drive featured a reverse run by wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. that went for 11 yards. The play was executed perfectly, but with how things have gone so far it seemed mostly unnecessary as following their latest touchdown, the Panthers are averaging an unreal 6.9 yards a play.

On the drive, the Seahawks repeatedly failed to bring down a player on their initial contact, letting Carolina get extra yardage on what appeared like failed plays, which helped move the chains to set up Newton’s beautiful touchdown pass to Olsen.

Olsen led the Panthers in receptions and receiving yards this season, which should not be a surprise as he also led the team in both categories in 2013 and 2014.

The Panthers are currently outgaining the Seahawks 213 to 17 in total offensive yards and have held the ball for 17 minutes and 34 seconds while Seattle has had it for just 6 minutes.

—
Benjamin Hoffman

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Carolina’s Kawaan Short sacked Russell Wilson in the first half.Credit
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Following Russell Wilson’s second interception of the game, the Panthers did not do much on offense, but got close enough for Graham Gano to kick a 48-yard field goal to extend the Panthers’ lead to 24-0.

The short field was a result of a rushed throw by Wilson, who threw just one interception in his team’s final seven regular season games but has been sloppy thus far as he has dealt with a great deal of pressure from Carolina’s defense.

It was Mario Addison who nearly sacked Wilson on the first play of Seattle’s third offensive possession. Wilson dropped back and immediately had Addison approaching from the outside. He rushed the ball in the direction of Luke Wilson, and Cortland Finnegan, forced into heavy use after several injuries to Carolina’s secondary, took advantage by stepping in front of the ball for the interception.

It is just the seventh time in his career that Wilson has thrown multiple interceptions in a game and he may play the rest of the game without Russell Okung, the team’s standout left tackle, who is doubtful to return after being injured on the play.

Everything is going Carolina’s way in the early going. After Seattle’s offense failed to do anything on a 5-play drive, the Panthers marched down the field on a 15-play 86-yard drive that extended their lead to 21-0.

It may have been mostly short passes and runs, but the Panthers seemed to have little trouble moving the ball against Seattle’s vaunted defense. Carolina’s confidence was so high that with a 3rd-and-inches play from Seattle’s 21-yard line, Cam Newton elected a play-action pass that went for 16 yards to Ed Dickson, setting up the team to need just two runs to score.

Stewart, who leaped over the line for his second touchdown of the game, is up to 84 yards rushing on just 8 carries. The last running back to break 100 yards against the Seattle defense was Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs who had 159 yards in his team’s win over the Seahawks in November 2014.

The drive had many key plays, but one that does not look like much in the box score, but proved key to keeping the chains moving was a 4-yard run by Mike Tolbert, a Pro Bowl fullback who is the closest thing the N.F.L. has to a human bowling ball.

It was 2nd-and-4 from Carolina’s 31-yard line and Tolbert got hit right at the line. He ran through the initial tackler, and then the Seahawks needed at least three defenders to bring him to the ground just short of a first down as he dragged the pile forward for at least a yard or two. Stewart may have gotten credit for extending the drive with a short run on third down, but it was Tolbert who did most of the work.

In contrast to Carolina’s first offensive possession, and Seattle’s first two, this drive took a great deal of time off the clock and now has Seattle down three touchdowns early in the second quarter.

—
Benjamin Hoffman

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Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly returned an interception for a touchdown against the Seahawks in the first half.Credit
Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Luke Kuechly, the heart and soul of Carolina’s defense, gave the team a quick two-touchdown lead when he intercepted a Russell Wilson pass, taking it into the end zone. Following the extra point, Carolina now leads the formidable Seattle Seahawks, 14-0, with 11:38 left in the first quarter.

The drive was bad from the start for Seattle, as Marshawn Lynch, in his first game back from abdominal surgery, did not have similar luck to Jonathan Stewart on his initial carry. Lynch took the ball and was immediately wrapped up behind the line of scrimmage by Star Lotulelei for a 3-yard loss.

On the next play, Wilson dropped back to pass and appeared to be trying to get the ball to Lynch but the ball sailed over the running back’s head and into Kuechly’s waiting arms.

Seattle finished the drive with minus-3 yards on two plays.

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Benjamin Hoffman

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Jonathan Stewart ripped off a 59-yard run on the Panthers’ first drive. Stewart capped the drive with a short touchdown run.Credit
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On his first carry since Week 14, Jonathan Stewart did not waste any time before making a huge impact. He took a handoff on the first play of the game and went up the middle for an incredible 59-yard run that looked like it could go for a touchdown before he was brought down at the 16-yard line.

Three plays later, Stewart again rushed just to the left side of center, taking the ball into the end zone to give Carolina a 6-0 lead that stretched to 7-0 after Graham Gano’s extra point. The entire drive took just four plays to go 75 yards, with 2 minutes and 30 seconds coming off the clock.

It had looked like Carolina may not be able to capitalize on Stewart’s big run when Cameron Artis-Payne fumbled the ball on the next play, but Mike Tolbert, the team’s big fullback, dove on the ball to preserve the drive.

Stewart’s absence due to a foot injury had been noticeable as Carolina had to focus far more on passing the ball, but if the first drive of the game is any indication, he is back to the pre-injury form that made him one of the best running backs in the N.F.L. this season.

The touchdown was the first by a running back against the Seattle defense since November of 2014.

It appears as if the Seahawks and the Panthers will be as close to full strength as possible going into their divisional playoff game, with Marshawn Lynch, Jonathan Stewart and Ted Ginn Jr. all expected to play.

The biggest question mark all week had been the availability of Lynch who surprised everyone, including his coaches, by declaring himself inactive for Seattle’s wild-card win over the Minnesota Vikings. Lynch had not played since Week 10, with sports hernia surgery forcing him to miss his team’s final seven games after initial reports had anticipated him missing just four to five games.

Lynch’s unexpected absence left Seattle short-handed, and Christine Michael, a largely untested third-year player, had to handle the starting role. He performed reasonably well, carrying the ball 21 times for 70 yards, as the Seahawks narrowly-edged the Vikings in the third-coldest playoff game in N.F.L. history.

Lynch’s health improved this week, with Coach Pete Carroll saying he looked noticeably more comfortable in practice. Having the player known as Beast Mode available to share duties with Michael should give the team’s offense more balance, even if their game-plan has clearly shifted to a more pass-happy approach.

After escaping Minnesota with a 10-9 win that would have been a loss if not for a missed 27-yard field goal, the Seahawks will need a great deal more offense to compete this week as the Panthers will be greatly bolstered by the return of Stewart and Ginn.

Stewart is likely the more important of the two as the team has struggled to have consistency in the running game since he injured his foot in Week 14. Before his injury, he was among the league leaders with 989 rushing yards and was in the midst of his best season since 2009.

The return of Ginn is also significant, as the speedy wide receiver became a favorite of Cam Newton this season, finishing second on the team in receptions and receiving yards while leading the team with 10 receiving touchdowns. A disappointment for much of his career after being selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft, Ginn finally realized some of his potential when Newton figured out a way to utilize the wide receiver’s ability to outrun nearly any defender in the N.F.L.

While the star players will get most of the attention, one injured player who could play a large role in the game is Jon Ryan, Seattle’s punter. In last week’s win, Ryan was forced to run the ball after a bad snap and took a hard hit that broke his nose. He stayed in the game despite the injury and the cold weather and was on the field during warm-ups today, proving that punters may be tougher than they get credit for.

For a player who rarely speaks, Marshawn Lynch is talked about an awful lot. As fans speculate on his availability this week, many ignore that he was a fairly marginal running back this season even when healthy and that Seattle’s offense has remade itself behind a pass-heavy approach led by quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Doug Baldwin.

Baldwin was always a complementary receiver, but he has recently stood out with 14 touchdown passes this season, all but two after Week 11.

His production has caught the attention of Josh Norman, the Panthers’ shutdown cornerback, who has been praising Baldwin, which from the ultracompetitive Norman is a public declaration that he intends to ruin his day.

“Doug is an explosive guy,” Norman told reporters. “He makes plays whenever he can and he’s a try-hard guy. He does everything he can to beat the defender. I like guys like that.”

On offense, the Panthers are expected to have running back Jonathan Stewart back from an injured foot, improving the options for quarterback Cam Newton, who has been working with a bargain bin of wide receivers led by Ted Ginn Jr. and Jerricho Cotchery, and the big tight end Greg Olsen. Stewart has thrived as an every-down back after years of sharing carries with DeAngelo Williams, and Newton has figured out how to turn the ultrafast Ginn into a touchdown machine.

It is unfortunate that teams as talented and explosive as the Seahawks and the Panthers are meeting before the N.F.C. title game. Either can be a realistic Super Bowl contender. But the stakes are incredibly high beyond just advancing: Carolina wants to prove that its 15-1 record was no fluke while also bolstering claims that Newton has become one of the game’s best quarterbacks; Seattle, which has won the last two conference titles, wants to show that its newfound ability to thrive on the road can carry into the postseason.

At their best, both teams seem nearly unbeatable. The game feels as if it can go either way. So the home team gets the edge, even if it is by just a sliver.

Aaron Rodgers wasn’t looking, wasn’t moving in the right direction. He just heaved.

Let this be a lesson. Don’t be fooled into thinking any game is out of reach as long as time remains for a Rodgers’ Hail Mary. Twice this season, he has made a lot of people appear awfully foolish.

On Saturday night, the Arizona Cardinals were the latest to be victimized by what bordered on the miraculous.

With five seconds remaining, with the ball on the 41-yard line, and the Cardinals rushing the passer anyway, Rodgers raced to his left, scrambled for separation, then let go of what could only be described as a desperation heave.

His receiver, Jeff Janis, was backpedaling into the end zone, with two Arizona defenders hovering behind him. But, as Richard Rodgers did on Dec. 3 for his 68-yard completion of a Hail Mary against Detroit, Janis somehow got airborne and the ball found him. He came down with it and, after some jostling and a brief review, his touchdown stood.

To overtime they went

—
Zach Schonbrun

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Michael Floyd hauled in a deflected pass in the end zone behind the Packers’ Casey Hayward.Credit
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

What a strange, miserable, wonderful, miraculous touchdown drive for the Arizona Cardinals.

They converted multiple clutch third downs, twice drawing the chain gang out to measure first downs that made it by centimeters.

Then there was the opportunity that Packers cornerback Sam Shields dropped — what could have been Palmer’s third intercepted pass of the game when he undercut a route by Michael Floyd in the end zone.

But the Cardinals made the most of their second life. After David Johnson snaked his way to a first down on another improbable conversion, Palmer’s pass intended for Larry Fitzgerald was deflected by a Packers defender — only to be hauled in by Floyd in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead score.

Palmer could only shake his head, along with most of America, wondering, “What did I just see here?”

Not the way you want to open the fourth quarter with your team already trailing.

On first-and-goal from the 10, Carson Palmer’s nightmare of a game worsened as he lofted a pass intended for John Brown in the back of the end zone that was plucked out of the air by Green Bay’s Damarious Randall.

A gut-wrenching turnover by Palmer, whose face betrayed his agony. After a career year at 36, Palmer isn’t helping himself earn his first playoff win. He has thrown two picks with one touchdown.

What’s more, they now have the lead after an 81-yard touchdown drive following an interception by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Aaron Rodgers connected with Jeff Janis for an 8-yard touchdown pass on third-and-goal after scrambling away from trouble.

Green Bay has seemed to make its running game more of an emphasis in the second half. That was certainly evident after a rush by Eddie Lacy for 61 yards to pull the Packers within 10 yards of the goal line. The Packers now have 120 yards on the ground, 86 of them by Lacy.

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Zach Schonbrun

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Carson Palmer had plenty of company in the backfield on his passing attempts, and he was sacked three times.Credit
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The first half between Green Bay and Arizona might be remembered mostly for the dramatic plays that, ultimately, never counted.

The first was an acrobatic, one-handed catch by Randall Cobb over an outstretched defender that would have put the Packers into the red zone late in the first quarter. But three flags on the play wound up bringing it back, and Cobb’s effort went for naught.

Cobb wound up getting hurt on the play, and cameras caught him on the sidelines spewing some blood from his mouth. He was carted into the locker room with a chest injury and was not expected to return — a big void for the Packers in the second half.

The Packers received some karmic payback, though. A few plays after Cobb’s remarkable catch, Aaron Rodgers was picked off at the goal line by Patrick Peterson, who ran back 99 yards for a score that might have been talked about for years. Instead, a flag (this time on Cardinals defender Frostee Rucker) nullified that play, and Green Bay settled for a field goal.

The Packers had two drives in the second quarter of 17 plays each, but both resulted only in field goals as Arizona’s defense tightened. The Cardinals had the half’s only touchdown, an 8-yard pass from Carson Palmer to Michael Floyd.

Green Bay’s offensive line has done an admirable job protecting Rodgers, who has yet to be sacked. Palmer, on the other hand, was sacked three times and hit twice more, rarely looking secure in the pocket and struggling to find a rhythm after the second drive.

Any memories of Arizona’s 30-point win over the Packers just three weeks ago have already faded.

Randall Cobb made one of the best catches you’re going to see this postseason.

Unfortunately, it’s not going to count on the stat sheet.

Cobb’s acrobatic, one-handed catch as he fell backward, with a defender draped on him, would have put the Packers in the red zone as the end of the first quarter approached. Instead, three penalties on the play forced the ball back to midfield.

That’s not the only time penalties killed a monumental play on the drive. A few plays later, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Petersen intercepted Rodgers on the goal line and had a lane to run it all the way back for a 99-yard touchdown.

But a flag back at the line of scrimmage — illegal hands to the face called on Cardinals’ defensive lineman Frostee Rucker — nullified the interception, a huge swing. The Packers wound up settling for a field goal.

Cobb also wound up leaving the field in a cart after his amazing play. The Packers announced that he is questionable to return with a chest injury.

—
Zach Schonbrun

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Michael Floyd dragged the toes of his right foot to secure the touchdown before Morgan Burnett shoved him out of bounds.Credit
Harry How/Getty Images

The Cardinals’ second drive ends with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to Michael Floyd, who found space in the back corner of the end zone and tapped his toes down just before tumbling out of bounds (and chop-blocking a helpless cameraman in the process).

The beautiful connection ended an 11-play drive, which included a gutsy call on fourth-and-1 from the eight that Arizona managed to convert with a rush up the middle by David Johnson to keep the drive alive.

For Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers is still looking for his first completion. Palmer is already 6 of 9, with Johnson hauling in three passes.

Chiefs-Patriots Highlights

Kansas City has added a small dose of drama to what had been an uneventful second half.

But while the Chiefs managed to score on a 80-drive, trimming New England’s lead to seven, the larger issue was how much time it took for them to do it.

There was questionable clock management before the half for Kansas City, too. But as their playoff hopes dwindled, the Chiefs inexplicably seemed to show little urgency, as more than five minutes elapsed.

As time ticked, Kansas City opted to run the ball on first-and-goal instead of passing, and the Patriots stuffed them. Then the Chiefs failed to set up the next play while the clock ran to the two-minute warning, wasting about 30 valuable seconds.

Finally, Charcandrick West scored on an option play from one yard out to bring K.C. within 27-20.

The Chiefs attempted an onside kick, but New England’s Rob Gronkowski recovered. They’ll need something special to get the ball back.

Kansas City answers back with its first touchdown of the game. Quarterback Alex Smith has turned around his performance, completing 8 of 11 passes in the second half, including a 10-yard throw to Albert Wilson for the score.

Smith’s highlight came a bit earlier, on third-and-seven, after he escaped from pressure, spun away from defenders, skipped, hopped, shimmied, and then flipped a 26-yard completion to Jason Avant to get the ball to midfield.

The play seemed to energize the Chiefs, who now need to prove they can finally stop the Patriots offense, led by Brady, who has completed 10 consecutive passes.

A 16-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski, their second hookup of the game, has given New England a 21-6 lead with 8:24 left in the third.

The Chiefs, who received the ball to start the second half, killed any momentum they were trying to build when Knile Davis fumbled the ball on the 31-yard line and New England recovered. It was Kansas City’s first turnover, but it came at a brutal time. The Patriots converted that into a 69-yard touchdown drive, with the final pass caught by Gronkowski, whose eighth career postseason receiving touchdown set a new record for tight ends.

—
Zach Schonbrun

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Tom Brady reached across the goal line for a touchdown in the first half.Credit
Jim Rogash/Getty Images

The Patriots looked impressive in their first half of postseason play this season, dominating the Chiefs defensively and moving the ball effectively against one of the league’s staunchest defenses. New England leads, 14-6, at halftime.

The return of Julian Edelman to the New England lineup has paid immediate dividends for Tom Brady and company, and when Edelman isn’t making plays (five catches, 45 yards) he is attracting attention away from Danny Amendola, Brandon LaFell and Rob Gronkowski (four catches, 47 yards, one touchdown).

The crucial drive came just before the end of the half, when the Patriots began on the two-yard line after an unnecessary roughness penalty on Amendola during the punt return. A 42-yard completion to Keyshawn Martin by Brady gave New England some breathing room. But the highlight of the half came from Brady.

The Patriots have barely even pretended to show any interest in running the ball, with Brady handing the ball off just four times in the half. But on second-and-goal from the 11, Brady tucked the ball and rolled to his right, finding some open space.

Brady’s legs don’t move as synchronously as, say, a Michael Vick. He moves about as fast as your average 38-year-old, N.F.L. player or otherwise. His scamper might have caught Kansas City by some surprise. But the Chiefs reacted, and two defenders hammered Brady as he tried to twist his way across the goalline, forcing him out just before his back crossed the pylon.

After a brief review — and a meme-worthy bro-hug between the quarterback and his offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels — Brady snuck the ball in for the score regardless, sending New England ahead by two scores.

It was a strong way to cap the half after an equally spirited opening drive, which ended with a touchdown pass to Gronkowski.

Kansas City, which gets the football to start the second half, has looked disjointed on offense despite the appearance of receiver Jeremy Maclin, who played more of a decoy role in the first half. Quarterback Alex Smith connected on just 10 of 21 passes for 65 yards, with tight end Travis Kelce receiving the bulk of his attention.

The Chiefs held the ball for nearly 17 minutes in the half, more than three minutes longer than New England, but ended with only six points to show for it.

What to expect now? Well, the Patriots are 11-1 when leading at halftime at Gillette during a postseason game.

The Patriots have hardly feigned any interest in running the ball this game. Except, that is, for when Tom Brady is carrying the football.

A spirited and gutsy (albeit risky) scamper by Brady came all the way to the goal line, where he was forced out of bounds within inches of the pylon. After a brief review, the call was upheld: not quite a touchdown.

But Brady snuck the ball in on the next play anyway, putting the Patriots ahead by two scores, 14-3.

That capped off an 11-play drive. On the previous possession, the Chiefs had put themselves in great field position to start the drive after a 19-yard punt return by Frankie Hammond worked down to the 35-yard line. But the Patriots’ defense held firm. Kansas City wound up punting, and New England responded with the 98-yard drive.

New England scores first after an 11-play drive, all passes, with Tom Brady connecting with (who else?) Rob Gronkowski in the corner of the end zone to put the Patriots out in front.

Brady targeted Julian Edelman four times on the opening drive, not waiting long to ease his favorite receiver back into the mix after missing two months with a foot injury. Edelman caught two passes for 24 yards, Danny Amendola added a 16-yard reception, and Gronkowski caught three passes for 43 yards.

Brady did not even run as much as a playaction to pretend he might hand the ball off. Don’t expect many run plays from New England this evening.

The Chiefs’ defense, which had been allowing just 11.7 points per game since its winning streak began, looked two steps behind New England on that opening drive. The Patriots are certainly fired up.

Alex Smith and the Chiefs’ offense looked sharp on their first drive, but settled for a 34-yard field goal.

As the No. 2 seed in the A.F.C., the Patriots are five-point favorites to win. They have been almost unbeatable at home in the postseason under Bill Belichick. And they are finally healthy.

But the Chiefs could not be coming in any hotter. They blew out Houston, 30-0, last week in the wild-card round. And while Brian Hoyer won’t make anybody forget about Tom Brady, Kansas City’s third-ranked defense has only gotten better and better as the season has gone on.

Oh, and the Chiefs also have not lost since the Royals won the World Series. So there is that to keep in mind as this game unfolds.